The numbers of recorded murder offences have increased dramatically in New Zealand. They increased over fivefold from the 1950s (102) to the 1980s (553), reaching a high point in the 1990s (623). The total number of murder offences dropped slightly in the first decade of the 21st century.

Note: Counting rules for murder statistics have changed over time (i.e. cases vs offences vs victimisations). Therefore, trend for homicide statistics over a long period (especially before 2007) should be interpreted with caution. See New Zealand Police website for more details.